Islamic lobbyism is stronger than Jewish lobbyism

There are more than 50 countries in the world which have an Islamic constitution or where the majority of the population follows the Islamic faith. The Organization of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) has 57 nations as its members. It is the second largest international organ only preceded by the United Nations. India was not included in this international body because Pakistan actively opposed India´s participation. India has more Muslims than many other smaller Islamic states that are members of the OIC.

Over the years we have seen how this international organization has used its platform to lobby and coerce other states into following norms that may be alien to their cultural practices. OIC even tried to internationalize the Kashmir issue, which India insists is an internal matter. Let us stop beating around the bush. There is something called Islamic lobbyism and it is far stronger than Jewish lobbyism.

We saw how the world opinion was shaped in the present Israel-Palestine conflict. Muslims in European countries are also getting highly organized and are now demanding removal of journalists with Jewish background from the function of newsreader or as hosts on TV programmes. One such case was recently noticed in Denmark when Martin Krasnik, a host at a popular news analysis programme, was dubbed an incompetent Zionist, and thousands of signatures were collected to demand his removal from his post, just because he is of Jewish origin.

In Europe more and more mosques are funded from abroad, creating room for increasing the possibility of cultural influence. Very few dare to question the sources of the funding. But as soon as some writers try to question the validity and impunity of Hamas, or Hezbollah or ISIS, then eyebrows are raised.

Pankaj Mishra, in a well-read and widely circulated article written on 3rd August in Bloomberg View, does agree that Israelis are unfairly singled out because of their acts of self-defence, but simultaneously even he fails to bring forth examples of genocide committed by Islamic countries. It is acceptable for Pankaj Mishra to cite an example of Sri Lanka´s civil war, where 40,000 were killed. But he fails to mention the genocide committed by West Pakistan on Bangladesh in 1971 where 3 million people were killed. One does not have to go far back in history. The death toll in the present war in Syria is soon to surpass the total of 200,000. It is an example of atrocity committed by one Muslim group on another. But Israel always faces the brunt of international pressure for defending, relatively speaking, a tiny piece of earth compared to the vast area of earth controlled by Islamic countries.

It is welcoming news that Israel is withdrawing its troops from Gaza, but the damage is done to its international image. If the Jewish lobby was so strong, how come they did not manage to influence and win the world opinion to their side?

We are witnessing a growing global anti-Israel animosity spreading right across the globe. Hamas, which is a terrorist organization, enjoys impunity when one-sided criticism of Israel is endorsed in the United Nations resolution singling out Israel for condemnation.

It is simply a myth that the Jewish lobby is strong. Compare it with the influence of Islamic countries which are so many in numbers and which have constantly opposed India´s and Israel´s positions on sensitive issues.

The present Indian Modi-government should really dig into and find out if it was the pressure from Islamic countries that prevented India from developing a healthier and closer relation with Denmark. After Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper, published a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed, India has been tip-toeing and not wanting to be seen in the company of Denmark. How come we were ready to throw a very good relation on board? I am very well aware of the fact that the official reasons cited were masquerading as something altogether different.

It is high time for India´s relations with Denmark to improve drastically as both can benefit from investment and growth. Nevertheless, it once again drives my point home that a strong Islamic lobby exists, and it pressurizes non-Islamic countries to accept Islamic norms and values.

Today it is Israel´s turn. Tomorrow it will be India´s. Both India and Israel are victims of growing global Islamic lobbyism.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Author

Mrutyuanjai Mishra is a commentator with Politiken, Denmark's largest newspaper. He also comments on Asia on Danish TV and radio channels. He has authored many analytical articles on Asia and India in several Danish newspapers. He has studied anthropology at Copenhagen University and has specialized in human rights and democratization. Mrutyuanjai Mishra has spent half of his life in India and the other half in the Scandinavian countries Denmark and Sweden.
Mrutyuanjai Mishra is also a consultant lecturer on issues related to India and Asia at institutions of higher education.
He is currently working on a book on India to be used for higher educational purposes in Scandinavian countries.

Mrutyuanjai Mishra is a commentator with Politiken, Denmark's largest newspaper. He also comments on Asia on Danish TV and radio channels. He has authored m. . .